Christians: In order for a person to become a Christian does a person have to get baptized?

Question

If so does that mean that the person becomes born again? This question is for all Christians whether Protestant or Catholic, whether you're a Fundament/Conservative or Liberal Christian.

Answer 1

Hello,
No doubt there will be other points of view, but this is what I have been taught about baptism. I grew up in a mostly baptist/methodist family. We are taught that it is not necessary to be baptized. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, baptism is an outward sign that you have accepted Him and that you have been born again. A symbol of the decision that you have made.

Answer 2

Baptism represents the life, the death and the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ but water does not save but faith in Christ Jesus does. Baptism is an outward sign to the living sign that the person receiving baptism has already by an act of their faith believe in Jesus so they are reborn by the holy Spirit of God before the act of Baptism. Yet believers also need the baptism of power which is also given by Christ as it was recorded in the 2nd chapter of Acts. Many Christians do lack this power and many teach against it yet they are being deceived as well as deceiving others. Jesus is the baptizer of the Holy ofin power and when a believer has this anointing, the word of God and relationship with Jesus becomes reality..

Answer 3

yes. The Apostles preached throughout an area and once they preached to a group and the Holy Spirit came down upon them and they spoke in tongues and because of that Peter ordered that they should become baptized so it is clear that just speaking tongues is not enough they need to be baptized too. Right after Pentecost when they were standing outside on the veranda of the Upper Room the crowd was cut to the quick with what they were saying and they asked them "What must we do?" and the Apostles told them they must "repent and be baptized"

Answer 4

Christian baptism, according to the Bible, is an outward testimony of what has occurred inwardly in a believer’s life. Christian baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The Bible declares, “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4 NIV). In Christian baptism, the action of being immersed in the water pictures being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

In Christian baptism, there should be two requirements before a person is baptized: (1) the person being baptized must have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior, and (2) the person must understand what baptism signifies. If a person knows the Lord Jesus as Savior, understands that Christian baptism is a step of obedience in publicly proclaiming his faith in Christ, and desires to be baptized – then there is no reason to prevent the believer from being baptized. According to the Bible, Christian baptism is simply a step of obedience, a public proclamation of one’s faith in Christ alone for salvation. Christian baptism is important because it is a step of obedience – publicly declaring faith in Christ and commitment to Him, and identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Recommended Resource: Believer's Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ by Schriener and Wright.

Answer 5

I was sovereignly visited by God, when He spoke directly to my heart one day, with no intermediate human agency or ceremony, and He caused me to be born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Instantly I stopped being unbelieving and started believing; I stopped hating God and began to love God; I stopped hating people and started loving them, and hoping they might escape the wrath of God which I had been experiencing, and come into His favor, which had now been freely bestowed upon me as a gift.
I was baptized as an infant, but no moral change came upon me.
I was born again as a sinner, and no ceremony attended this.
Personally, I believe in water baptism, just as I believe a man and a woman who love each other and choose to be united as husband and wife should get married. However real baptism isn't a ceremony performed with water any more that real marriage is an exchange of vows before a minister.
Real baptism is being spiritually united with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection; and a subsequent walking in newness of life, under His Lordship.

Answer 6

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baptism is not a requirement for salvation. On the same token neither is "sacrament", circumcision, works or prayers to Mary or dead "saints". Nor is knocking on doors, vows of poverty or chastity.

Jesus told one(1) person to sell all his stuff , give it to the poor, and follow Him. Not because Jesus wanted him poor, but because Jesus knew he worshiped money more than God. Some "religions" have made an entire doctrine over that one scripture.

Being born again is what happens when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior! That is all that is required. The disciples got into it with Paul over this topic.

Put no more onto them than that which is required.

Salutations in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 7

No you become a real Christian by confessing your a sinner and asking God to forgive your sins based on the blood Jesus Christ shed for the forgiveness of mans sins. God then changes your heart and reveals Jesus Christ to you.

Baptism is an outward sign of what is happened on the inside. Going under the water signifies death, raising up signifies new life the resurrection, the water also represents the washing away of sins.

But do you have get baptized.. no..although I recommend it.. Look at the thief on the cross.. he didn't get baptized but he did get forgiven.

One of the criminals hanging there insulted Jesus by saying, "So you're really the Messiah, are you? Well, save yourself and us!" But the other criminal scolded him: "Don't you fear God at all? Can't you see that you're condemned in the same way that he is? Our punishment is fair. We're getting what we deserve. But this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom." Jesus said to him, "I can guarantee this truth: Today you will be with me in paradise."
(Luk 23:39-43 GW)

Answer 8

Being baptized does in no way make you born again, you are born again when you accept Jesus as your Lord and savior and use his live as your model. Baptism is a symbol to show the washing away of the sin in your life and a new start.

Answer 9

No, in order to be Baptized, a person must first declare him or her self Christian. One follows the other as night follows day.
And a Christian SHOULD be baptized as part of a public confession of faith, as in the Bible the ONLY believer in Jesus who was NOT baptized was the theif on the cross.

Answer 10

There are two types of baptism, one physical, that being water baptism, and one spiritual, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.(Acts 1:5, Acts11:16, Jn 1:33...) Likewise, in the Old Testament, there were two types of circumcision, that of the flesh, and that of the heart(Deut 30:6). Water baptism and circumcision of the flesh are works that we do as a sign, pointing to Christ's work of salvation. Since we cannot be saved by our works,(Eph 2:9) these things have no impact on our becoming saved, or, as you put it, becoming a Christian. Baptism of the Holy Spirit and circumcision of the heart ,however, are works that God Himself does on our behalf, and are, therefore, absolutly required in order for us to become saved. Furthermore, it is God who chooses who will be saved, faith, love, accepting, choosing, seeking, calling upon, repenting, and other such actions are works that we do and have no spiritual value in regards to our salvation.